North America
Every person in the Solar System has heard of North America, one of the foci of the early push into space. Many colonies can trace their creation back to people from this part of Earth. Today this continent is not what it was in the past; old hatreds and new ideologies have divided a land once known for its unity. The North American nations are powerful, however, and they are well aware of their history. They remember the great sacrifices their ancestors made to reach and colonize the far reaches of the Solar System, and the dark years of the Fall have been recorded in meticulously recovered detail. CEGA's driving desire to bend the Solar System to its will is primarily a North American goal. Wanting more than mere equality among the Solar Nations, the states and peoples of this continent firmly believe that Earth (with CEGA at its head) is the logical seat of power of the entire Solar System. It is primarily this one jointly held belief, built on the memories of a united and dominant North America, that keeps the various North American nations in a state of wary cooperation with each other and the other CEGA members. '- Source: '''excerpt from IGS textfile ''"An Introduction to Earth" Political Overview Though the Alliance is easily the dominant power in North America, the influence of the two small CEGA states, the West lndies and Quebec, should not be underestimated. The popular view of the Alliance-as-continent also ignores the fact that while the numerous Occupied Territories are administered by Alliance nations, they are legally CEGA possessions. This has become a potential problem, since the Alliance can no longer guarantee the CEGA Council will sanction their wishes. The Occupied Territories are becoming a dynamic element in North American politics; resentful of Alliance exploitation, their people have taken to the halls of power in Berlin and the Gaia Arcology. So far, the dissidents' arguments have been quashed by the political influence of the Alliance; it a sign of how far Alliance power within the Council has slipped that the Occupied Territories are being heard at all. The West Indians seem especially intent on provoking some sort of reaction out of the Alliance by sponsoring anti-Alliance representatives to Council meetings. The concept of the Occupied Territories being under direct CEGA rule is finding favor with those who wish to increase the power of the Administration over the continental alliances. '- Source:' text report, CEGA Political Update, Analysis and Records Bureau Economic Overview North America is enjoying a relative boom. Guild members looking at long-term investments should be wary, however. Outside the League and West Indies, which continue to welcome Mercurian initiatives, little economic growth is attributable to increased trade. Military production remains the only real growth area for the NAS, Republic and California. Research shows few opportunities for Mercurian involvement in these industries. Even the Venusians have been unable (or unwilling) to achieve substantial penetration of the military economy. Not surprisingly, the North American States are vocal supporters of CEGA military action. '- Source:' excerpt from Mercurian Merchant Guild Financial Report Environmental Overview The prime industrial powerhouse of the twenty-first century, North America was badly hit by ecological degradation, Even today much of the continent remains uninhabitable because of biological, chemical, or radioactive contamination. Perhaps the most spectacular reminders of the environmental dangers of North America are the radioactive tornadoes that arise in the Midwestern desert. Stirring up buried radioactive dust and scattering it across vast areas, a single storm can devastate hundreds of square kilometers of reclaimed farmland in a few minutes. CEGA has implemented several storm-warning systems, but has been unable to make any lasting impact. '- Source:' excerpts from IGS textfile "Earth: The Battered Planet." Low Profile It doesn't pay to be a Solar national in North America. If you're identified as a so-called "colonial" in a business district or other wealthy area, you'll get a couple of offhand insults. However, if you're dumb enough to head to street level wearing an offplanet insignia, you're taking your life into your own hands. You can pretend to be from Europe, since the average citizen isn't too well-educated. The best bet is to pretend to be an Orbital. The NA's tend to think of them as mentally deficient children, and will be friendly, if condescending. '- Source: '''audio transcript, advanced training lecture, '''Operations on Earth,' Academy St. Cloud Deadly Harvest Director, we've got more info on the smuggling investigation. Get this: the guns in question were coming out of the Republic of Texas' Corpus Christi Arsenal. The Texan authorities are refusing to take any action. They claim that southern extremists hijacked the guns. That's their best story. Back-country bandits strolled into a secure facility and wandered off with two tons of small arms. I'd laugh, but the Texans are obviously pretty serious about this. The administrator our informant fingered was found dead seven hours ago. Analysis is probably right. The North American armaments industry is out of control. An increasing number of the weapons that we're seizing from criminals, mercs and dealers come from the NAS, and even the Jovians are starting to see explosives crates with Californian seals on them. These guys are getting desperate, Director. CEGA just isn't spending enough money on ground forces to keep all the North American weapons companies in profit. They can't branch out because the Venusians have eaten up the civilian markets, and the external arms trade won't support them forever. The smuggling is a minor symptom. I'm worried that they're going to start using those guns themselves. '- Source: '''audio transcript, message from ''Agent-in-Charge Dexter Ghazni, Commercial Security Bureau North American Alliance Some observers express surprise that the continental alliances that formed CEGA have not been subsumed by its creation. Such views lack a critical understanding of the forces that drive these alliances and the important role they continue to play within CEGA, especially as stable factional power bases in the ongoing struggle for control of the Council. In the case of the Alliance, the fear of the NAS that drove its creation remains an extant political motivation, as do its ideological differences with the USE. '- Source: '''audio transcript, introductory lecture,"Nature of Political Dynamics" ''course, Academy St. Cloud Political Aims At this time, the Alliance's primary focus is resolving the increasing military tensions on Earth and among the Solar Nations. As a result of the tensions, there has been a strengthening of ties between the Alliance's members, as a web of mutual obligations and dependencies tightens under political pressure. At the same time, however, the differences within the Alliance are being exacerbated by the increasingly close cooperation. The failure to develop the strong bureaucratic and elite ties of the sort that bind the USE together is proving costly, as the integrity and influence of the Alliance slips every month. Democracy and open political processes hinder the League's ability to cooperate with its allies, even though its continued economic growth requires it to do so. A popular backlash against the repressive policies of the other Alliance nations is creating political indecision, paralyzing the League's ability to be proactive within the alliance. The NAS is of even greater concern to the other Alliance nations; it remains a fundamentalist state, openly inimical to its fellow nations and cooperating only as a temporary measure. The NAS' present ruling clique is moderate only in terms of its business relations with CEGA and the rest of the Alliance. The alliance has also been disrupted by wider realization of the degree of Venusian influence within CEGA. At present, only California has reacted forcefully to the revelations, but all the Alliance's members have become aware of interference in their economies and politics by agents pushing Venusian interests. The matter of how to eliminate such influence is being hotly debated behind closed doors, but it is likely that a unified response is improbable at best; resentment concerning the League's financial dominance is serving as a significant barrier to complete trust with the Alliance. '- Source: text report, Political Update, Analysis and Records Bureau Economy The industrial capacity of the Maritime League makes the Alliance the most diverse economy within CEGA; it is less reliant on imported technology from the Orbitals, and very resistant to Venusian influence. The League's industrial dominance complements the agricultural and natural-resource industries of the other Alliance nations, further increasing self-sufficiency. The situation is much different, however, when one considers the Alliance nations as individuals. Despite their strong trading relationship with the League, the NAS and Republic of Texas arefacing serious economic problems due to unsustainable expenditures on military buildup. CEGA subsidies for troops in the Joint Services are supporting their economies for now, but it is only a matter of time before both nations suffer a serious recession. Both nations also maintain agricultural economies, aberrations that only survive because of ideological insistence. Neither state can hope to survive almost entirely on farming, especially considering the ready availability of Orbital-produced synthetic foodstuffs. The state-controlled economy of California is the most balanced in the Alliance, though it remains small and restricted by the "deep green" policies of the Executive Council, which is resistant to foreign trade of any sort. However, the Executive Council is sounding out Guild representatives regarding trade for supplies of clean water and soil for eco-restoration projects. The Maritime League has a vibrant economy but is dependent on imported resources. This makes them a strong trading nation and the Guild has good (if rather lowprofit) trading ties with them. Too much of their production is inferior to Orbital products to make the cost of lifting goods into orbit in large quantities worthwhile at this stage, however. Intra-CEGA trade has not been as profitable for the Alliance as might be expected. The economies of the USE are tightly controlled, competitive and ill-matched to those of the Alliance, but CEGA legislation is forcing some freeing of internal markets. As a result, increasing growth is forecasted for cross-Atlantic trade; this should result in some expansion of CEGA industrial production, which may open more opportunities for the Guild. Given the nationalist nature of North America, however, the Alliance will likely remain a high-risk venture for some time. Trade with the West lndies is very brisk; with the Republic of Texas reaping many side benefits, it can be hoped that the Republic will choose to open formal agreements with the Guild in the near future. An interesting area for growth is South America. Trade with non-CEGA Earth is highly restricted due to CEGA's orbital holdings, but trade ties with South America have grown noticeably, with aid from the other Non-Aligned States. At this time most Alliance trade destined for South America is funneled through the West Indies. The ongoing diplomatic negotiations with South America are creating excellent conditions for trade. Eager for weapons to defend themselves from the Empire of Argentina, the South Americans are willing to pay large sums for the Alliance's excess productive capacity. If contact with Non-Aligned orbital resources can be reinforced, the Guild may be able to provide further services to South America. '- Source: '''excerpt from ''Mercurian Merchant Guild Financial Report Maritime League Incorporating a series of massive arcologies stretching from the Gaspe Peninsula to Chesapeake Bay, the Maritime League regards itself as the most advanced nation on Earth and guardian to the history and traditions of the United States of America. Indeed, the League is very proud of the fact that it can trace its founding directly to the last US Vice-president, Joseph Davis. In 2119, the United States fell apart after President Ball's death; seeing that he had no hope of keeping the shattered nation together, Davis gathered as many loyal military units and citizens as he could and marched from Colorado Springs to the East Coast. In 2121, he arrived at the half-built Gaia Arcology, outside the bombed ruins of Boston, with nearly a million followers in tow. Over the next two decades, Davis used military force to extend his authority and built more arcologies with the profits thus gained. Though times were tough, Davis insisted on democratic elections. In 2130, he was elected the first president of the Maritime League. Under his and subsequent administrations, the League slowly rebuilt an industrial base, but never sought to expand west of the Appalachians. The desire to regain the glory of the defunct US drove the League to push for reunification, but its actual contributions to the effort were minimal, at best. Even today, the League is reluctant to commit troops to the Joint Services, though its industrial and technical resources make it a key CEGA member. As a fully participatory democracy, founded on the principles of the original Constitution of the United States, it may be difficult to understand how the League can support CEGA's policies. It is important, however, to take into account the League's history and its people's perception of themselves as the heirs to the legacy of the old US. One may surmise that the League's citizens are willing to work together with CEGA in order to rebuild it from within. Another element to consider is the League's historical desire for control of near-Earth-orbit facilities; it is only through its membership in CEGA that the League can have any sort of jurisdiction over the Orbitals. '- Source: '''excerpts from IGS textfile ''"An Introduction to Earth" Hidden Research While the Orbitals support the vast majority of CEGA's production facilities, the League's research agencies contribute a significant amount of knowledge and innovation to the collective nations. The League also retains vast amounts of data and research dating from before the Fall. Thus, although it lags in space-related technologies, the League is possessed of the capability to commit high-level Edict violations. However, it must be noted that the League's democratic institutions, coupled with its above-average public education, have limited the chances for such violations. We presently regard the League as a compliant signatory state. External influences may alter the League's compliance. Outside the arcologies, the League's territory is still biologically and radiologically tainted. Breathing masks and other protection remain a necessity, resulting in numerous psychological issues in the League's populace regarding outside travel. The League's massive industrial efforts are only worsening the problems; half of this year's hydroponics harvest was lost due to water toxicity and insufficient sunlight. The Californian Green Front is known to have conducted unsupervised (and unsuccessful) research into engineered eco-restorative organisms. Given that California is now offering to supply the League with food, it is likely that the League will be pressured to supply aid to the Green Front's bio-research programs. California food packets, wrapped in eco-restoration leaflets, are already having an effect on public opinion within the League. '- Source:' text report, Scientific Update, Edicts Enforcement Bureau Unrest The more I'm around these people, the more obvious it is that they don't really like their Alliance allies. Public disapproval for the conscription policy is rising every day. Without the policy, the League would lose most of its support in CEGA, but most of these people want to have it all. They blame the Jovians. of course, but Jupiter's too far away to throw rocks at. So I'm starting to see a lot of anti-Alliance demonstrations. Flag burnings, marches and the like The League's government, bound with its own laws, can't do anything about the protests other than ask the people to play nice and go home. The demonstrations are getting worse, and the Alliance isn't amused anymore. '- Source:' audio transcript, Observation Report Daily Life Despite all the civil trouble, though, life in the League isn't nearly as bad as either they or the USN says it is. The environment domes are spacious, food is plentiful, if a bit bland, and the streets are fairly safe, if you're polite and respectful. The people have an enormous capacity for pessimism, but after spending a month looking out of their windows, I can understand why. You never know when the food's going to run out, or when the dome's going to crack, or if the NAS is going to decide to attack. Still, it could be worse. '-Source: '''audio transcript, ''Observation Report Gaia City is actually two cities in one, a pairing of the Gaia Arcology and the Boston Dome. Building of the smaller Boston Dome was started in 2021 and completed in 2087. The Gaia Arcology, on the other hand, was a project started before the Fall. It remained under construction until the founding of CEGA provided the necessary economic boost to fund its completion in 21 86. Gaia is now one of the two capitals of CEGA as well as being the capital of the Maritime League. It is the largest structure ever built by humanity, reaching a height of two kilometers at its highest point and housing 11 5 million people across more than a thousand square kilometers. Another 60 million live in the Boston Dome, making Gaia City the largest urban community in history. As the most important center for business, politics and science on Earth, Gaia City throngs with travelers from all over Earth and the Solar colonies. Visitors are spoiled for choice by the wide range of experiences Gaia has to offer. From a moving trip to the Long March Memorial, to the grand spectacle of the changing of the Guards at the CEGA Council Chambers, there is always something happening in Gaia City. '- Source:' audio transcript, Passenger Welcome Message, Jefferson Shuttleport New American States In times of stress and confusion, many social structures built on trust and equality prove unsustainable in the face of the needs of survival. In such situations, military levels of discipline, loyalty and obedience are required. In the case of the New American States, the mindset acquired by its people during the Fall has not yet given way to a system conducive to technological and intellectual innovation. NAS society is harshly regimented, and its policies are xenophobic in the extreme. While these institutions allowed its people to weather the Fall by absorbing or destroying territorial rivals, their retention has made the modern NAS a difficult entity for the rest of the Alliance to deal with. The beginnings of the NAS can be traced back to the last decades of the Twentieth century, when radical groups founded numerous communities in the Rocky Mountain States. Wrapped in apocalyptic conspiracy theories, these groups were ignored by the mainstream political processes of the time. The radicals grew and prospered however, especially when the Fall and its hardships made their views on racial minorities and foreigners popular. The radicals' supplies of food and water drew many converts, and as the complex metropolitan infrastructures began to fail, a large proportion of the area's population began to subscribe to the radicals' ideology in order to obtain shelter and sustenance. When the United States fell, a number of fundamentalist politicians gave open support to the Rocky Mountain communities, lending them a veneer of legality during the disorganized national collapse. After centralized command of the militaly disappeared, many soldiers joined the communities, bringing weapons, skills and a military system of justice. In 2121, the largest of the communities, united in their applications of martial law, banded together to form the NAS. The needs of survival demanded harsh measures; many freedoms taken for granted in the US were curtailed to preserve security, solidarity and optimism. After a number of religious debates that slowed food production, the NAS' ruling council voted unanimously to make the New American Christian Church the official state religion, banning all others. Objectors were exiled; many of these ended up in independent communities and went missing when the NAS later expanded its borders. Throughout the Fall, NAS society was composed of the two primary components of agrarian food production and military expansionism, both considered "holy" tasks for people of a given gender or age group. '- Source:' excerpts from IGS textfile'' "An Introduction to Earth"'' I keep telling myself I'm trained for this. It's not being asked for my papers all the time, or having to bow my head and stand aside whenever a man, or someone in uniform walks by. It's the people. They accept this. Even the ones who have it the worst, like African and Asian slaves, just take the insults and torture and keep on going. I haven't seen any sign of a resistance, or freedom movement, or even an underground message service. Everybody seems terrified of everybody else. Nobody has friends. The only thing there ever is to talk about is the faith and the glory of the NAS. Any other type of discussion will draw the Zealot Militia. If they don't hear you directly, there's a good chance someone will report you just so they can get name recognition and promotion points at the next service. I suppose a system this paranoid creates people in its own image. Those ZEMIL thugs, for all their cold efficiency, are just kids, as scared as the rest. They don't really care about what you may or may not have said. They just lock you in a room, do their Church-approved business with you, and then let you go and tell you to be good and never again do whatever it was you did. If anything, it's the privileged class that shows the least adherence to the NAS' guiding principles. They aren't frugal, pious, humble or generous, and they don't have to hide it, either. They're immune from punishment, probably due to their membership in one of the brotherhoods I keep hearing tidbits about. These organizations probably date back to before the Fall. I tried to ask more about them, carefully, just a couple of questions. A ten-year-old girl pointed me out to ZEMIL. They just got done with me. Two more months, and I want extraction. Don't make me ask twice. '- Source: '''audio transcript, Observation Report'' The NAS looks so different from the outside. Their Senators and delegates are always claiming that the rest of the Alliance and CEGA are plotting against them, but they don't say anything about religion or racial purity. Inside, there was anti-CEGA and Alliance propaganda posted up everywhere. Children sang songs about the "heathens on the coasts." Since most NAS citizens never set foot outside their nation, they have no choice but to believe what the vids tell them. You want another operation there? Send someone else. '- Source:' audio transcript, Extraction Debriefing No, we're not a military threat. Of course, we want to convert you, but it's only the elite who are really pushing aggression. The rest all go along with our childhood lessons, that what we have is enough. It works because it's true. There's food, housing and work. My people don't want more. They all serve a purpose. Farmers farm, soldiers fight. Men lead, women follow. We just do what God created us to do. Maybe it doesn't need to be that way anymore, but you have to see that it's not evil. It's all because of good intentions. Our families are strong because we cooperate in agriculture instead of grubbing for money in corporate offices. Crime is low because access to weapons, especially high-tech ones, is only through import channels. Our children respect the environment and their families. I can understand why the NAS doesn't want huge cities, or sleek gadgets, or even secular education. People who get a glimpse of things like that usually end up like me, or worse. '- Source:' audio transcript, debriefing of NAS defector Lee Forrest, ex-Commander Gilbert Fortress, Pacific OCU, by ANZAC Secret Intelligence Service, September 2208 The NAS has the same constitution as the Maritime League, that being the old constitution of the United States. However, the NAS has also been under martial law since 2121 and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The NAS' Council of Senators holds absolute power, and has instituted numerous policies that restrict public knowledge of government activities while providing further religious and political justification for the maintenance of military rule. The Council claims to be the true descendant of President Ball's administration, but there is no separate Judicia, nor are there popular elections or opposition parties. The Council appoints its own members; almost all of these members are drawn from the ranks of the religious brotherhoods that are the last remnants of the NAS' founding religious and military organizations, making membership in these brotherhoods vital for advancement in the hierarchy. '- Source:' text report, Political Update, Analysis and Records Bureau KF73 cracked too early. She took the wrong routes, too. Never ask people on the streets. Flash a pretty smile to someone in the brotherhood, and they'll be happy to run at the mouth in exchange for some pleasant companionship and to pray for forgiveness later. I'm... corresponding regularly with Cal Simon, the ZEMIL administrator for this region. Turns out there's been resistance to the NAS from the very beginning. It's mostly small groups with no real organization, hiding out in the mountains until they either get caught or die from poisoning, radiation or warganisms. As fast as they die out, new ones spring up. Teenagers run away, wives flee abusive husbands and a lot of CEGA recruits come back home and suddenly run for the hills. ZEMIL has Senatorial authority to run prison camps and perform summary executions, but it hasn't helped. The cradle-to-grave indoctrination is effective, but sooner or later, kids start asking about all those flashing lights moving across the night sky, and things go downwell from there. '- Source:' audio transcript, Observation Report Republic of Texas Possessing a firm grasp of their combined historical records, the Texans are a proud and confident nation. Avowed imperialists, many Texans (including the present Comandante) also seem lost in dreams of the great Hispanic empires of antiquity. However, the Republic itself is a poor country and much of its outward focus seems directed at remedying this fault. Despite their nation's ambitions, the Texan people are generally hospitable and optimistic; a cultural love for guests and gatherings tends to reduce open displays of pro-CEGA sentiment. The Republic rose from the hordes of desperate refugees who poured into the American Southwest during the Third World War. Mexico had long since collapsed into warring states, and famine and violence drove millions to flee northward. Ecological trauma and nuclear war had already devastated the lands north of the Rio Grande, and violence broke out as desperate locals fought to protect the few resources they had left. Soon the region was in ruins, ruled by bandits who terrorized the few villages that remained. In a land of radioactive desert dotted with oases of arable land, only the most hardy and cunning individuals thrived; eventually, they formed local militias and drove off or absorbed the bandits. These militias were soon turned on other communities as towns fought to control water, clean soil and industrial sites. In 2144, a militia leader known as Comandante Marquez forged an alliance among the militias along the Rio Grande and established a military junta, the United Republic of Mexico and Texas (later shortened to its current form) in or around 21 44. With stable government, the Southwest slowly recovered, salvaging technology from the ruined cities of the Gulf Coast and fighting off continual raids, eventually growing into the nation known today as the Republic. The Republic's main opponent was the environment. Desertification and drought made harvests uncertain, toxic dust storms blew down from the Great Plains and the coastal swamps were hot zones of chemical and biological pollution. Today, little has changed; the majority of Texans eke out a hard existence on small subsistence farms that cluster around fortified villages. Military service is the only way into the prosperous arcologies that line the Gulf Coast. All able-bodied citizens serve with local militias but only the most talented and adventurous individuals sign up for the Republican Army's twenty-year minimum term of service. Only those with military service have political rights within the Republic. Local militia service allows voting in village council elections, and service in the Republican army allows voting in Junta elections. Since education beyond basic literacy and arithmetic requires military service, the vast majority of Texans know little about the world outside their individual villages. These villages remain the center of Texan culture and from it they draw their love of festivals and willingness to endure hardship. Texan quality of life has noticeably improved with the bringing in of CEGA eco-restoration projects and industry, thus ensuring that Comandante Diego and CEGA will retain popular support among the villages. '- Source: '''excerpts from IGS textfile "An Introduction to Earth"'' Politics Generalissimo Salvatore Diego is a crackpot. He came to power in 2210, after getting a chestful of medals in border flareups and bandito hunts. Before that, he was just your average Texan, not terribly bright and not really caring. He has a large family, fourteen siblings. Getting them out of the villages and into the top levels of the arcologies seemed to motivate him for the first months of his reign, but after he abolished elections and got military backing for dictatorial control, he's gotten out of hand. The levels of inefficiency and corruption plaguing Diego's industrial buildup pet projects are astounding. His toadies are robbing him blind, and he's too busy making grand pronouncements to notice. The Republican economy is now the most fragile one in CEGA, and that's not saying a lot. The Republic's loyalty to CEGA seems truly based on agreement with the principles on which the Administration was founded. The Texans maintain good relations with all their CEGA allies except the NAS. There's a bit of rivalry with California, but the two Spanish-speaking nations have a lot in common and were already becoming increasingly close before Diego came along and soured some relations. Still, despite their leadership, Texans are often found serving CEGA in sensitive diplomatic positions because they are considered less likely to put national or factional interests ahead of those of CEGA as a whole; for instance, the present Ambassador to the Jovian Confederation, Lana Jefferies, is Texan. '- Source:' audio transcript Observation Report Business The Republic is relatively easy pickings. One can probably make more useful contacts in a month in the Republic than in a year in, say, the League. This is due to more than simple friendliness. Since only Republican soldiers can vote and only officers can run, a faction that gains power is likely not to want to let go. Elections have been abolished several times in Texan history, and each time, the result has been a coup of one sort or another. Since military personnel control the government, all business relations are tied to the military. Thus, individuals with martial prowess get respect and profit, regardless of their actual business savvy. A good agent can acquire trust, money and information with little more than a trip to the shooting range. Unsurprisingly, corruption is widespread; everyone from the government clerks to ministers is on the take, either for falsified recommendations or further inroads with military personnel. As long as one provides suitable compensation, any information unavailable through the pretense of rank can be acquired via bribery. '- Source:' audio transcript, advanced agent training lecture, Operations on Earth, Academy St. Cloud Generalissimo Diego's success has destroyed him. I don't think he remembers that we served together on the border. He just handed out generalships to everyone in his old unit. Ha! Two hundred and sixty generals. I saw him once, a few months ago. I didn't think a soldier could get so fat in six months. In our last skirmish, he led a charge against a machine gun nest armed with only a saber. The gunners broke and ran. That's what Sal used to be like. The villagers in the Occupied Territories all knew his name, and celebrated when we came around on patrols. Now, those villages are gone, burned to the ground, and their people are living in the arcologies, too terrified to tell old Sal 'thank you for the nice new homes, but we'd really like to leave now.' Some of the other new generals said something, and now Sal is using their heads as bird feeders. He's totally paranoid, but he's still smart, you know? If I know him, he's probably listening to us right now. Hell with it. Buy me another drink, and I'll tell you about his private life, too. '- Source: '''audio transcript, ''General Erica Slade Republican Guards recycled KA71 yesterday morning. The tip apparently came from the Texan Marshals' office. I'm going to have to back off. The Marshals were good before, but now that Diego's trying to get them under his control, they're getting even better. They don't answer to anyone, and their lifestyles are guaranteed by the Republican constitution, so I've got no leverage. Can't bribe these fanatics, either. They're short on resources, but as free agents, they're the most effective tool the Republic's got. '- Source:' audio transcript, Observation Report Green States of California Recognized as a socialist paradise and the food bowl of North America, California is a study in contrasts. On the surface its citizens seem happy and content, but its secretive and repressive regime uses pervasive monitoring and social propaganda to maintain absolute control. As a result, the tightly controlled Californian arcologies have social systems rather like those of some Solar Nations; aside from the obvious secret police presence, it is easy to imagine that one is on Venus or in the Martian Federation. The Green States' strong government is the legacy of a massive earthquake in 2108. Under protest, Analita Hintz, a militia officer, was appointed military governor. Despite her recalcitrance, Hintz kept the state together through the Fall, resorting to forced relocations and compulsory labor to increase food production and water availability. She remains a loathed figure to this day. Hundreds of thousands died, but civilized society survived. The military also drove back bandits and refugees from Central America, preventing them from overwhelming the already overburdened state. After Hintz' successor was removed from office in 2133, a short spate of infighting ended with a loose alliance, uniting the handful of rebel factions that had developed under military rule. The new alliance consolidated as it fought off bandit raids from the south and dealt with the ongoing problems of pollution, droughts and earthquakes. In 2148, the ruling elite of revolutionaries who led the overthrow of the military officially formed the Green States of California, dedicating their new nation to repairing the damage done to the Earth. The libertarian and socialist ideology of the new state was initially effective, but external strife and the resultant intolerance to criticism eventually created a police state. The new government's territorial expansionism led California into conflict with NAS, starting the Unification Wars. '-Source:' excerpts from IGS textfile "An Introduction to Earth" Decades of Community reinforcement and social security have made Californians a happy people. Anyone who isn't happy either pretends to be or finds themselves working in a reeducation camp and learning why they should be happy. It's like either a nicer NAS or a meaner Jovian Confed. Californian arcologies are small, a hundred thousand inhabitants at most. It makes it easier to keep citizens in line. There are no real avenues of relaxation here. Either you're working or you're learning socialist dogma. Some of it's not bad reading, but a lifetime of it probably gets boring. Suicide, drug addiction and unplanned pregnancies are serious problems, but talking about any of those subjects is considered an 'unsuitable leisure activity.' The Executive Council, the pinnacle of a series of councils that reaches down to individual housing blocks, has decreed that not only is manual labor environmentally friendly, but is also the key to providing full employment. Hence, no mechanization. Since agriculture, forestry, fish farming and eco-restoration are California's key industries, there's actually a labor shortage. Although the arcology maintenance crews use robot welders and lifting equipment, the outside workers use fishing poles and manual farming implements. I went out on a farming trip once. I've never seen so much mud in my life. '- Source: '''audio transcript ''Observation Report Californian ideology is strictly anti-capitalist; this puts it at odds with its CEGA partners, especially given the Californian Executive Council's recent obsession with VenusBank influence. The State makes constant denunciations of Solar capitalism and dramatizations of the repression of Solar labor are popular viewing at community meetings. Despite its paranoia, the Executive Council is working hard to maintain cordial relations with all the other CEGA states except the NAS. However, the Council's recent decision to allow the Organization for Public Peace to set up a series of intelligence operations directed at Venus may betoken an increasingly aggressive stance. While not technologically backwards, California has always concentrated on a few specific industries, mainly those with specific environmental or military application; this practice has only intensified since the Green States joined CEGA. Also, California's research pool is further limited by the stringent psychological and political requirements for higher education. Its few successful projects have given California the best logical situation of any CEGA state, but it lags significantly in other fields and lacks many key fac necessary for more specialized research. California's obsessive secrecy, combined with its avowed hatred of the NAS and recent difficulties with the Venusians, put it at high risk of committing a major Edicts violation within the next five years. '- Source:' text report, Scientific Update, Edicts Enforcement Bureau Politics Like the briefing said, the government is everywhere. Since I arrived in my new apartment, I've had to present myself to my work team socialist-cadre group, my housing unit people's committee, the local Green Front officer and enroll in the correct socialist learning collective for my recreation section. None of these groups is officially part of the government. They're all spontaneous, grassroots workers' movements. These groups go all the way up, though, to the National Socialist Executive Cadre, the People's Executive Council and the National Green Front Executive Committee. In between, in every factory, suburb, arcology and county, there are more councils, cadres and committees. Everyone reports to everyone else. It makes for a lot of order, a lot of confusion and very little free time. It's only been a week, but I've already verified some speculations. There's definitely a growing problem between the Californian Executive Council and the Joint Service Pacific OCU. The new OCU commander is Captain-General Jennifer Alkins. That's right, the Butcher of Brisbane,all rehabilitated, and with some very interesting new links to corporate interests in the League. She's behind the Joint Service push to allow what the Californians call 'ecologically disruptive' mining in the Pacific Ocean. Relations with the Californians are at rock bottom. They're burning Alkins in effigy at community meetings here. If she manages to annoy ANZAC, too, then things are really going to get rough. '- Source:' audio transcript Observation Report My siblings, you have all made a brave decision. Our Planet thanks you. You have given up your families, your names and your lives. Our Planet thanks you. More sacrifices lie ahead. Pain, humiliation and degradation pave your road. You will die either forgotten as a nameless criminal or hated by those who do not, and cannot, understand your heart's calling. Our Planet thanks you. If my words frighten you, turn and look to the faces at your side. They are your siblings, and will carry you when you are weak, and lend you the will to continue your fight. If you find no comfort in those faces, then leave now. Without siblinghood, we cannot win, cannot overcome the odds that face us and reclaim our motherworld from those who have plundered her and plunder her still. Even with your siblings at your side, these years will be hard. You must learn to hide in the world outside, without being tempted by it. You must learn to commit sins of wealth and technology, without holding them to your heart. You must learn to kill mercilessly, without forgetting how to love. Many have failed. In fighting the unclean, some have become unclean themselves. Some of you here today will fail, and be punished for eternity after your Earthly death. The rest of you, blessed soldiers, will earn everlasting peace in our Mother's bosom. Let us give thanks to our Planet. '-Source:' audio transcript, introductory speech at Green Front Training Camp Omega Three North American Independent States The Alliance is too divided to tolerate further members. While I doubt either the League or California would object, the mere prospect of widening the membership brings vocal protests from the NAS, who fear a diminishing of their influence, and from the Republic, because the Generalissimo doesn't like the idea. I don't think either the West lndies or Quebec has much to fear from the Alliance. If nothing else, the Alliance's too busy muddling its way through CEGA-level politics to worry about a couple of independent states. '- Source: '''audio transcript, ''Observation report Quebec Federation During the Fall, pollution depopulated the lands around the St. Lawrence River, leaving the few survivors to seek shelter in the ancestral lands of the hill communities. These communities remained only loosely affiliated until the formation of the NAS encouraged closerties. A loose federal system developed, whereby the elected mayors of each town in turn choose a ruling cabinet. Originally a highly democratic system, the League has corrupted Quebec's political process to ensure a pliable neighbor. The League pressed Quebec to apply for CEGA membership by threatening to allow the NAS to occupy their territory. Quebec has not been totally abused by the League, since it makes a useful geographic buffer between the League and the NAS. Quebec is only a provisional territory of CEGA; this displeases the population greatly, but Quebec's armed forces are not advanced enough to qualify for membership in the Joint Services. Worse, League economic assistance has subsumed Quebec's economy. Despite public disquiet, Quebec's government is stable; the ever-present threat of the NAS, especially its repression of the Northern Resource Zone, keeps the populace in line. The local militia system is well-staffed and highly trained, and large sums are being spent on improving its technological abilities. In this way, Quebec hopes to achieve full membership in CEGA as well as create a force capable of facing the NAS head-on. Environmentally, Quebec is in a shambles. The League has moved many resource extraction facilities into Quebec, slowing eco-restoration. The fact that the Great Lakes Toxic Region drains through the St. Lawrence River exacerbates matters further. The river valley is one long biological dead zone, its floods spreading the toxic waste far inland. Resentment of the League and a need for environmental technology has resulted in strong ties between California and Quebec. Quebec is currently seeking to lessen its dependence on the League and find an ally against potential problems with the NAS. '- Source: '''audio transcript, introductory lecture, '''Nature of Political Dynamics,' Academy St. Cloud West Indian Federation The islands of the West lndies dot the Caribbean Sea, one of the few areas to benefit from the climate change. In addition to the increased rainfall and reduced incidence of tropical storms, the isles' physical isolation separated them from the worst effects of the Fall. The modern West lndies have adequate resources, but more importantly, they also have a technology base unmatched on Earth and virtually no environmental problems. In what should now seem a familiar process, the West Indian Federation reached true nationhood during the trying times of the Long Winter. By 2149, the Federation had expanded into southern Florida and all along the northern coast of South America. During the Unification Wars, its technologically advanced navy crushed a Republican invasion and blockaded League sea trade. On land, however, the continual fighting in Florida put a significant strain on the Federation's relatively small population. Thus, in 2185, despite being protected by the Jerusalem Accords, the Federation surprised the entire planet by applying for provisional CEGA membership. Peace with the Alliance, its nearest neighbor, was ensured, and high demand for their skills and supplies resulted in hefty trade profits. Even before gaining full CEGA membership in 2205, the Federation was the scientific clearinghouse for North America. In various underwater arcologies, West Indian biological, electronics and engineering facilities pushed the boundaries of science, even to the point of Edicts violations. In the past two decades, fifteen Federation facilities have been raided by Edicts Enforcement, and dozens of individuals have been charged and sentenced. Nonetheless, the Federation has persisted, evidently persuaded by territories in Florida and exclusive exploitation of the central Atlantic seabed granted by its CEGA allies. '-Source: '''audio transcript, introductory lecture, '''Nature of Political Dynamics,' Academy St. Cloud CEGA Administered Territories We, the free people of America, will not lie docile beneath the heel of the Alliance. Our lands may be captured, but our hearts remain free. Our bodies can be broken, but our souls will cry out for justice from beyond the grave. Until our lands are governed by the free choice of our peoples, until every last jackbooted OCU thug is driven from our homes, until the CEGA Council is truly an administration for all, we will not cease our fight to make this nation once again into a Land of the Free. '- Source: '''audio transcript, ''Northern Liberation Militia pirate broadcast Northern Resource Zone The Long Winter heavily depopulated most of America's northern latitudes, mostly due to loss of infrastructure and supplies. The land itself, however, was virtually untouched by the pollution that destroyed areas further south. Those people who stayed were a hardy folk who survived by hunting and farming, maintaining only a modicum of technology with which to make their lives easier. When faced with forced inclusion in CEGA, the thinly spread and poorly armed northerners could not hope to muster any real resistance, and have been a second-class CEGA territoty ever since. When CEGA set up the Northern Resource Zone in 2187, the initial occupation went smoothly. The NAS and California were given joint administration of the Zone; this proved to be problematical when the NAS attempted to impose its social and legal structure on the Zone's populace. Rebellions sprang up overnight, operating out of mountain hideouts and attacking CEGA troops regardless of their national origin. The attacks drew the Californians into the fighting, starting a cycle of violence that persists to this day. Despite the overwhelming forces they face, the rebels continue to resist, and have openly announced that they are receiving arms and supplies from sympathetic external sources. '- Source:' excerpts from IGS textfile "An Introduction to Earth" As suspected, the Californians' new extraction techniques have restarted oil production. Additionally, the data I've acquired suggest the northern fish farms are among the richest protein sources in CEGA. Finally, both the NAS and California are still expanding ice and peat mining operations, presumably to supply more resources for eco-restoration projects. Given the previous debacle of joint rule in the Zone, it appears that it's the total lack of cooperation between the Californians and the NAS that's allowing the rebels to resist. A few of the more levelheaded northerners, based in local cities, are actively working to build harmony, while at the same time pushing for Zone administration to be handed over to Quebec. If Quebec starts butting in on the NAS-California slap-fight in the Council, this area's probably going to start seeing more soldiers. I'm guessing the mountain rebels haven't been consulted about any of this. '- Source:' audio transcript, Observation report Pacific Occupied Territories Despite being badly damaged by rising sea levels, the Pacific islands became important nations during the twenty-first century. Their waters were perfect for fish farming, they possessed valuable seabed resources and tidal power provided enough cheap energy to run both industries. The islands' potential was recognized by both ANZAC and Japan, which split the islands between them in the 2150s. During the Unification Wars, the Alliance moved into the Pacific; thousands of Alliance troops died in the assaults on the heavily fortified island fortresses. By the time the armistice was signed in 2183, the Japanese had lost Hawaii, the Ratik island chain and the western portion of the Ralik islands. The smaller ANZAC lost almost a third of its Pacific territories; only the cease-fire prevented further Alliance gains. California has administered the Pacific Occupied Territories since 2185. Mass colonization of the various islands, using civilians from the mainland, has been very successful; a string of arcology-fortresses now houses a multicultural society that has rebuilt the old aqua farms, making the Territories the second-largest protein producer in CEGA. Although the area is a prime spot for mineral extraction and seabed-dredging, the ecofriendly Californian administration has thus far proven reluctant to restart the pre-Fall mining operations. Their unwillingness to ramp up mineral extraction rates has led to some talk about reassigning control of the Territories, but so far the threat of war with ANZAC because of supposed threats to the environment has allowed the Californians to deflect criticism. - Source: excerpts from IGS textfile "An Introduction to Earth" Great Plains Reclamation Zone The center of North America was totally devastated in the twenty-first century, ravaged by unsustainable farming and mining, contaminated by pollution caused by industrial and urban development along the Great Lakes and Colorado Plateau and devastated by climatic changes that brought drought and constant tornadoes. Nuclear and biological war finished off what was left, contaminating the water table and adding radioactivity to the worsening dust storms. The area remained virtually uninhabited until the demands of the Unification Wars prompted exploration for usable resources. Today, there still remain areas of extreme toxicity. Only near the borders of the NAS is it safe for humans to venture outside with nothing but a respirator. Under the CEGA regulations regarding the Great Plains, a state may add to its territory any land it successfully eco-restores. The League and Republic have displayed little interest in the Great Plains, but the NAS has undertaken some extremely ambitious projects in the region. The NAS' mines and eco-restoration projects are supported by CEGA-built arcologies staffed with NAS laborers. Life is harsh and dangerous, and life expectancy is short; few of the workers are volunteers, but conscript labor is permissible under NAS law. There are reports of groups of escapees, living by stealing and raiding, but if such bands exist, their existence is, by necessity, extremely difficult to verify. '- Source:' excerpts from IGS textfile'' "An Introduction to Earth"'' I found the escapees hiding out in some old caves. In exchange for some batteries, they told me how to contact a smuggling group that operates through the Plains. It took longer for the smugglers to trust me, but I eventually got a couple to talk to me. Turns out they know a surprising amount about a CEGA installation a few hundred klicks west of Old Kansas City. Satellite info shows a base there, and CEGA has it listed as a hostile-environment training center. However, the smugglers pointed out some spots that look like coveredover impact craters. Testing ortillety isn't an Edict violation yet, but we might find something else out there that is. '- Source: '''text file, ''mission debrief Southern Occupied Territories Colloquially known as the Hot Zone, for both the guerillas and mutated bioweapons that lurk in its stifling jungles, Central America is considered the worst posting for those in the Joint Services. Though technically under joint administration by California and the Republic of Texas, the local OCU commander's position was combined with the position of territory governor a decade ago, thus ensuring coordinated operations. Despite the change and the posting of tens of thousands of soldiers to the local OCU, the guerilla warfare continues. Most of the time the rural villages exist peacefully and in a state of technology-free simplicity, trying to ignore the constant OCU patrols. The guerillas, on the other hand, use modern weapons acquired from unknown sources, and fight in order to get extra supplies as well as to remove the OCU presence. '- Source: '''excerpts from IGS textfile ''"An Introduction to Earth" Even with imported Martian medical technology, disease is still claiming as many casualties as the fighting. Finding cures isn't too difficult, but the rate of mutation of both natural organisms as well as mutated bioweapons means that fresh outbreaks happen all the time. The environment's gone crazy here. The infections jump species and change hosts, so humans aren't the only targets. Plants and animals get wiped out regularly, only to be replaced by something else that's immune and growsfaster. Quarantine procedures are Hazard Level 5; last week, a departing civilian air transport was shot down because one idiot passenger picked up a local plant as a souvenir. The villagers used to avoid infection by staying indoors and not disturbing the environment. Now that CEGA's down here tramping around, the death rate in the villages has quadrupled, and they don't get any of the medical care the OCU troops get. It's no wonder the villagers are helping the guerillas. The priests and shamans who lead the villages all talk to each other; that's how they maintain an educational system among the leaders. They've all apparently agreed to denounce CEGA, resulting in several example executions. It's just making the guerillas angrier. '- Source:' audio transcript, Observation Report Zones of Conflict and Disruption While North America is relatively peaceful under the hand of CEGA and the Alliance, its periphery is not so calm. The abrupt end of the Unification Wars has left many areas where bitterness and anger still linger and armies stare at each other over long-held defenses. Bering Front The site of bitter fighting between Siberian Republic and Alliance naval forces, the Bering Strait remains a heavily fortified war zone. The Eurasian Forward Defense Army has an infantry corps and a naval fleet deployed in the area further raising tensions. Disputes over nearby Arctic seabed resources have led to a number of naval skirmishes, but so far, no serious damage has been inflicted on any side. Perhaps the biggest risk to peace along the front are the arms smuggling operations run by rebels from the Northern Resource Zone. CEGA claims that the Siberians' failure to stop the arms traffic constitutes a breach of the Jerusalem Accords; it is only USN disapproval that keeps CEGA from declaring open war. Greenland Front The accession of the Democratic Kingdoms of Scandinavia to the USE put a stop to their bloody war with the Maritime League for control of Greenland. CEGA officially set the border as the former front line in 2191, over strenuous Scandinavian objections. The huge island remains heavily fortified by the League against any attempt by the Scandinavians to seize more territory. Recently, the League has demonstrated great concern regarding the tensions in Greenland; it is said that the League is too occupied with CEGA-internal matters and military control of North America to be able to continue its alert stance in the North Atlantic. A CEGA mediator has been appointed, and the League has made initial offers to the Scandinavians for joint administration. Great Lakes Toxic Region Poisoned by three centuries of unrestrained development and neglect, the Great Lakes are unequivocal dead zones. Their poisonous waters pollute the environment for hundreds of kilometers around their shores and are partially responsible for ongoing deterioration of the North Atlantic. Apart from CEGA-sponsored research facilities, nothing lives along the shores of the Lakes, and nothing more complex than bacterias live in them. Intensive research into ways to purge the Lakes of long term contaminants is considered the most important eco-restoration project in North America. If such a goal could be achieved, the restoration of the Great Plains would be brought forward decades. Pacific Front Both ANZAC and Japan remain bitter about their losses in the Unification Wars. To counter both of these nations' fleets, CEGA has equipped the Pacific Forward Defense Army, based from the island-fortress of Molokai, with the most advanced weapons available on Earth. The recent CEGA decision to deploy Triton-class submersible exo-armors has created a new naval arms race in the region. Further raising tensions are CEGA's plans to use seabed dredging to mine in the South Pacific. An extremely environmentally destructive process, dredge mining would almost certainly produce a military response from ANZAC. ANZAC'S lack of proper USN representation is forcing it to resort to military vigilance to curb CEGA activities, presenting yet more opportunities for open violence. Panama Front The ancient canal separating North and South America was occupied a scant month before the armistice in 2183, obviating the need for a full-scale Alliance invasion. Since the disunited South American nations have yet to present any militaty resistance, the area has not been militarily reinforced by CEGA. The Southern Occupied Territories Occupation Control Unit is responsible for this front, but takes no aggressive actions against local communities; instead, the CEGA Joint Service is attempting to win Panamanian loyalty with offers of economic and industrial assistance, coupled with an occasional politely-delivered threat. These entreaties are the result of initiatives undertaken by moderates on the CEGA Council; apparently they are trying to prove that Earth can be united without another full-scale war. Hard-line factions are pushing for military action, however. Joint Service negotiators have reportedly been harassed and obstructed by both OCU troops and other Joint Service personnel. Despite these diversions, the negotiators are making headway, and public opinion makes it likely that Ecuador might lodge an application to join CEGA in the next few years. The emperor of Argentina is also loudly touting CEGA's glories, although political analysts remark that CEGA's investment in Argentine industry may have much t o do with CEGA's popularity in that nation. '- Source: '''excerpts from IGS textfile ''"An Introduction to Earth"